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Anyone have a relative in Polish Resettlement Corps join the British Army in 1947/48?

Article about: Like the subject line says did anyone have a family member enlist in the British Army during or after their time in the Polish Resettlement Corps (PRC) = Polski Korpus Przysposobienia i Rozm

  1. #1

    Default Anyone have a relative in Polish Resettlement Corps join the British Army in 1947/48?

    Like the subject line says did anyone have a family member enlist in the British Army during or after their time in the Polish Resettlement Corps (PRC) = Polski Korpus Przysposobienia i Rozmieszczenia (P.K.P.R) in 1947/1948? If so I would like to hear from you as I am doing some personal research on this subject.

    Have learned the War Office in 1946 had a scheme to recruit into the British Army experienced Polish soldiers from the PRC.

    Regards
    Chris.....

    Note to moderators: Can appreciate this question might not meet forum criteria so will leave this post to your discretion and will respect any decision regarding it being appropriate or not.

    Anyone have a relative in Polish Resettlement Corps join the British Army in 1947/48?Anyone have a relative in Polish Resettlement Corps join the British Army in 1947/48?

  2. #2

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    Szczęśliwego nowego roku Chris!

    My late father (of 4 Pułk Pancerny „Skorpion” ) was demobbed into the PRC 1947 and later enlisted with 4th Hussars - RAC British Army on 14 June 1948... sent out fight against communist insurgency in Malaya 16 June 1948!!

    Below is a copy of the estimate I received from the National Archives in relation to photostat scans of their PRC holdings. I was not prepared to pay the £392 estimate for printed copies....you will note that the cost for the documents on CDR was a staggering £7,100!!

    The PRC document reference no/s might still be of interest though:

    Anyone have a relative in Polish Resettlement Corps join the British Army in 1947/48?
    I collect, therefore I am.

    Nothing in science can explain how consciousness arose from matter.

  3. #3

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    Hello Stefan good to hear from you and Szczęśliwego nowego roku!

    Seems your dad went from one adventure to another, must have been quite the journey for a young fellow. If you have his Polish Army records could I trouble you to check if he was sent to any British units for physicals and trades testing just prior to his demob from the PRC in 1947? The entry might not necessarily say ‘Trades testing’ but will have something along the lines of ‘detached to’ followed by a British Army Company, Depot or Royal Armoured Corps unit(s), a Training Wing or a Primary Training Centre (PTC). I believe Poles applying to Armour were sent to RAC Depot, Westwick Camp, Bernard Castle, Co Durham (or) RAC School, Bovington Camp, Wareham, Dorset.

    Regards
    Chris…….

  4. #4

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    Quote by ChrisW01 View Post
    Seems your dad went from one adventure to another, must have been quite the journey for a young fellow.
    Yes Chris, he served 23 years on his sometimes extremely hot Cold War adventure!

    His records do mention Westwick Camp 1947. His last few years of Army service ended up as senior instructor at the RAC school Bovington.
    I collect, therefore I am.

    Nothing in science can explain how consciousness arose from matter.

  5. #5

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    Hey Stefan

    Thanks for that. Wow 23 years, he must have had experience on the Centurion and Chieftain tanks, quite a change from the old Sherman. How long was your dad at Westwick Camp, was that the only unit prior to demob?

    Chris.......

  6. #6

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    One other question. Were their other Poles with him at Westwick and in the RAC.

    Chris......

  7. #7

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    Unfortunately Chris, no idea how many but I do know he enlisted with another Pole from 4PP, who also went out to fight in Malaya. Don't know the other guys name. The RAC was a loose association of armoured regiments whose component changed over a period. At first my father was in 4th Hussars - RAC but for the most of his service he was with 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards - RAC.
    I collect, therefore I am.

    Nothing in science can explain how consciousness arose from matter.

  8. #8

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    Interesting.

    There was a question before, on what dates was your dad at Westwick Camp, was that the only unit prior to demob?

    Thanks for your patience.
    Chris.......

  9. #9

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    Quote by ChrisW01 View Post
    Hey Stefan Thanks for that. Wow 23 years, he must have had experience on the Centurion and Chieftain tanks, quite a change from the old Sherman. How long was your dad at Westwick Camp, was that the only unit prior to demob? Chris.......
    My father worked on the development of training materials for the self-levelling and control system of the Chieftain main gun at Bovington where they had a simulator in the buildings just behind where the Bovington Tank Museum is housed. At one time he trained several contingents of Ugandan "tankies" at Bovington and afterwards was offer a high level "adviser" role in Uganda by Idi Amin ...which luckily he declined. Will look at his records again later tonight, he may have been very briefly at Catterick Garrison Camp
    I collect, therefore I am.

    Nothing in science can explain how consciousness arose from matter.

  10. #10

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    Chris, hi,

    I have looked at the papers again and noticed my earlier posts were inaccurate I had thought the Order No.s were dates as they are similar format.
    Corrected data:
    From 4 P. Panc.....
    12.04.47 - 6 P. Panc.
    11.12.47 - 206 BU
    28.03.48 - 204 BU
    24.06.48 - discharged PRC
    25.06.48 - enlisted Westwick - RAC recruiting camp
    28.07.48 - posted Bovington Camp - RAC
    01.08.48 - posted 4 Hussars
    20.08.48 - posted HQ FARELF Malaya................
    I collect, therefore I am.

    Nothing in science can explain how consciousness arose from matter.

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